Prayer Concerns

Each week prayer concerns are listed in the announcement section of the weekly worship bulletin. Generally, prayer concerns remain on this prayer list for two weeks (unless otherwise requested). Persons requesting on-going prayer including persons in retirement homes, assisted living facilities, and those receiving in-home care are included in the prayer section of the bulletin and weekly email blasts. Send your prayer concern for the bulletin to Linda Peterson.

Prayer and Care

Prayer and care can have so many definitions. Here at Central we share our burdens, our concerns and our praises through prayer. Use this form provided to send any care concern, prayer request or praise testimony to the church. We will place it in the appropriate location; the bulletin, newsletter, website or church email. By contacting us, we can also put you in touch with any community agency or an area connection you may find beneficial. Our Parish Nurse is available to assist with community resource referrals, and provide support while locating the help you may need. Pastors, Stephen Ministers and our church staff are here to help, to support, to laugh and to cry with you. Look on this website to answer any questions about any ‘Prayer and Care’ avenues mentioned above.

For immediate assistance call or email our church office at 704-786-4109 and Linda Peterson will gladly facilitate your request to the appropriate individual.

Let us assist you by opening doors to the many types of care available in our church family and community.

PETALS

Several years ago at the Women’s Retreat, women wrote words of affirmation to one another during the weekend. On the last day of the Retreat, everyone read their affirmations. This activity was powerful and poignant. After the Retreat, one of the participants, Fran Foley, saw a place in the life of the congregation where this ministry could be vital. In February of 2008, we introduced the PETaL Ministry at Central.

PETaL stands for Praise, Encouragement, Thanks, and Love

PETaLs are notecards that are available in the Narthex of the church. Pastor Reta, our Associate Pastor when the PETaL was born, designed the PETaLs.

Persons write PETaLs to persons on the prayer list or others who need care in the congregation. The PETals are placed in a basket on the Visitors’ Table in the Narthex. On Monday mornings, the church office staff mails the PETaLs.

Women in the church, called “Table Hostesses,” decorate individual tables for the evening with their personal decorations (including tablecloths, napkins, plates, flatware, crystal, centerpiece and other decorations) based on chosen themes. This event is hosted by the Jubilee Ward Circle.

Themes range from Christmas, Halloween, and other holidays to special occasions such as weddings, baby showers, and movie nights. Possibilities for themes are limited only by the table hostesses’ imagination! Guests at each table enjoy a wonderful dinner and listen to a guest speaker.

Stephanie Burke was our speaker/artist this year. Before our eyes she created a wonderful piece of art for us.

Check back next spring for details for the event in 2019.Contact Brittany Dagenhart or Amy Hurlocker to inquire about hosting a table or to purchase tickets.

Yoga, Tai Chi and Exercise

Central is proud to offer two yoga classes, an exercise class and two Tai Chi classes during the week. All are free of charge and meet in at the church.

For over ten years Central has offered a yoga class to the community for free! Monday nights are taught by Meg Irvin at 6:45 pm in the church basement. The class is a basic flow class with adjustments made based on the level of the participants. Everyone is welcome! *Note until November 12, this class is held on Tuesday nights!

Beginner Yoga is offered at 10:00am on Wednesday mornings through out the summer. This class begins standing up and moves to the mat once, where the class finishes. Modifications are offered for most poses.

Each Tuesday Madeline Fillman teaches Tai Chi for Arthritis. The class is great for balance and only requires stable shoes. Tuesday morning's class begins at 11:15am and Tuesday evenings at 6:15pm. Both classes run for 45 minutes.

On Thursday mornings a low impact exercise class at 10:00 am. The class is a combination of stretching, low impact aerobics, light weight lifting and balancing. Weights, abdominal work and some stretching can be done in a chair. The last 20 minutes are basic yoga stretches. Thursday morning class is taught by Meg Irvin.

Meg Irvin is a YogaFit certified in instructor. YogaFit is a yoga training program that blends of the ancient practice of yoga with a fitness format. It is user friendly for people of all shapes, sizes, ages and fitness levels. Meg is open to helping anyone in this community in their practice. If you have special needs for any class offered just show up a little early so that your needs can be accomodated.

We welcome members, non members and guests to our classes. For more information, email Meg Irvin.

Run for Reta

Run for Reta is an annual event in memory of Reta Steck, Associate Pastor of CUMC for many years. Each November Central members lace up their running shoes, put on their red (Reta's favorite color) shirts and run the Santa Scramble 5k that leads the Concord Christmas Parade. It also hits the two mile marker right in front of Central. All proceeds go to Ruth Dollars, Reta's favorite ministry.

You may pay for registration by cash, check or use REALM. But you must fill out both forms in order to run. Gary Shue will shuttle us to the start in the church bus. It is a mile from the finish back to the church. Runners and walkers are welcome. Registration is on Realm now, deadline is October 31, 2018.

All information will be available on a bulletin board in the back hall and on Facebook. Registration forms are available on Realm. Please find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/RunforRetafor more information, contact Meg Irvin or 704-574-4589.

Parish Nursing was founded in the 1980’s by Chaplain Granger Westberg. As the concept for health ministry developed across the country, CMC NorthEast Medical Center started our program in October 1997. This grew out of a need for more community outreach toward the prevention of illness in our area. Parish Nursing is emerging as one of the fastest growing specialized professional nursing practices. In 1998, the American Nurses Association formally recognized parish nursing, now called Faith Community Nursing, as a new specialty area in nursing.

Faith Communities have been promoting health and wholeness for centuries through worship, music, sharing, and caring. As an institution, faith communities are the only place where people meet regularly to seek healing and our church families are seen as a connecting point. It is a place where we all share life experiences, good and bad, then develop and grow from them. In our community, parish nursing is a health ministry between a hospital and area churches. This ministry is based on the belief that our health is wholistic and that our bodies, our minds and our spirits need to be in harmony if we are to be well or “whole.” Our Parish Nursing and Health Ministry at Central is blessed to be supported by our local hospital’s Parish Nursing department. Currently, Parish Nurse Programs affiliated with CMC-NorthEast have been established in over 40 churches. This represents approximately 19,000 church members where the religious and ethnic diversity, as well as the geographic distribution, of the congregations reflect the community as a whole. We are heavily centralized in Cabarrus County but have a number of churches in neighboring Rowan, Stanly, Anson, and Northeast Mecklenburg communities.

The Congregational Health Promoter (CHP) is generally a lay person trained in wholistic healthcare principles and avenues for coordination of a health ministry in their place of worship. At Central, we are blessed to have two individuals who are also “CHP’s”. The CHP attends approximately 12 hours of training about how to start a health ministry in his or her congregation. This person may be an additional resource to an existing Parish Nurse program or may establish a CHP model in their church, which involves a somewhat different scope of responsibility than a Parish Nurse model. Our CHP’s at Central are Stephania Cude, and Amelia Jones.

The Health Cabinet is made up of volunteers who are concerned about health and who are committed to seeing that the healing ministry of the church is carried out. The health cabinet’s primary role in relating to the parish nurse is to provide guidance and support. Central’s Valda Harry Health Cabinet was formed to lead and involve our congregation in a healing ministry, and is based on a wholistic perception of each individual – body, mind, and spirit.

Our Parish Nurses and Congregational Health Promoters will promote health and wholeness of mind, body, and spirit to individuals, congregations, and the community for the glory of God. This mission statement summarizes our commitment to impacting individuals, congregations, and our community as a whole through our various forms of health ministry: parish nursing, congregational health promotion, and Stephen Ministry (currently in inactive status).

Youth Ministry at Central is dedicated to meeting all youth right where they are, both in life, and in their spiritual journey. We are dedicated to forming safe, deep and meaningful relationships with our young people. Our goal is to be a Christian example going before them to show them the way, be beside them to guide them on their journey, and be behind them to catch them when they fall.

The mission of youth ministry at Central is to be facilitators for all youth to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ through a balanced mix of Christian opportunities and fun experiences. We as Christians are actively trying to become incredibly righteous disciples by loving God, our church, and each other.

Our Youth meet each Sunday morning during the Sunday School hour to reconnect with one another.

During the school year Youth meet on Sunday evenings from 5:00-7:00pm with a meal provided by parents on a rotating/volunteer basis. Middle school meets from 5:00-6:00pm, the entire group shares a meal from 6:00-6:30, then the high schoolers meet from 6:30-7:30pm.

Calendar of events!

August 12 Movie Night! From 6:00-8:00pm in the Youth RoomAugust 19 A Day at the Lake! Meet in the Youth Room at 10:15 to return at 6:00pm ish. Contact Rebecca for detailsAugust 26 Promotion Sunday: meet in the Youth Room for Sunday School 4:40pm Confirmation Parent Meeting 5:00pm Youth Parent Meeting 5:30-7:30pm Ceiling Tiles!

Confirmation

In many United Methodist congregations, preparation for confirmation begins when youth enter their middle school years. The middle school years (6th-8th grades) are when young people begin to move from concrete thinking to abstract thinking and is when many people begin to make lifelong faith decisions. During these middle school years youth are seeking a sense of belonging. Belonging to the community of faith is an appropriate response to that developmental task. (umc.org)

Central offers a formal process with a class leading to the ritual of confirmation for those who choose to receive it and are deemed ready to do so by our pastors. We begin the confirmation process in sixth and/or seventh grade based on interest. Confirmation usually meets each Sunday during the Sunday School hour, attends a retreat and end with confirmation during a special worship service. Classes begin for 2018 on September 9th. There will be a parent meeting on August 26 at 4:40pm in the Youth Room. If you have questions about confirmation please contact Rebecca Tucker, Minister with Youth.

Central is dedicated to protecting their children and youth. We have a Safe Sanctuaries policy in place. You may view the policy, find a volunteer form or a background check form by clicking on the appropriate name.